


Skeletons in the Coat Closet

by skdewberry



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Kim and Max are dating, LadyNoir - Freeform, Yeah i know they don't really celebrate Halloween in france, adrienette - Freeform, dunno what ship this would technically be, halloween party
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2016-10-12
Packaged: 2018-08-19 01:03:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8182895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skdewberry/pseuds/skdewberry
Summary: Marinette goes as Ladybug to a Halloween party, Adrien goes as Chat Noir. What could go wrong?They get locked in a room together.That's what could go wrong.





	1. Somebody's Watching Me by Rockwell

Marinette stepped into the foyer of the house party and nervously adjusted her costume. The walls around her had cartoonish flying bats baring their fangs at her while tiny disco balls rotated around and projected multicolored spotlights around the room. Marinette squeezed herself by a Batman and a Nurse making out in the middle of the doorway to the kitchen and internally questioned herself how she got into this mess.

Alya had told her the day before that Adrien would be at this party and that ‘you just have to come Marinette!’ and that ‘everyone was going to be there, you don’t want Chloe stealing Adrien do you?’. Marinette thought it was a good idea before, but now that she was alone in a room full of monsters with Somebody’s Watching Me blasting her eardrums, she felt a lot less sure.

Pushing past another group of dancing- or were they just jumping?- teenagers, Marinette found Alya sitting on a couch armrest chatting with a mutant ninja turtle, a pro wrestler, something she didn’t recognize, and Alix.

“Marinette! You made it, finally,” Alya was dressed up as a witch, striped purple fingerless gloves complementing her pumpkin orange dress adorned with spiders. Marinette was able to discern that the turtle next to Alya was Nino and that the wrestler was Kim, of course.

“Sorry I’m a bit late, I was just adding finishing touches to my costume.” Marinette apologized. Although she was late almost every single day to school nowadays, being tardy still sent guilty pains through Marinette’s stomach.

“Ah, no big. This party’s kinda dead anyways.” Kim joked jabbing a thumb behind him at a teenage zombie. Everyone on the couch groaned and Alix threw popcorn at the offender. Kim ducked at the last second and it hit a Sailor Moon in the back of her head.

“Ugh who threw that?” The sailor scout whipped around, a grimace contorting her face. Chloe, just great. Marinette did have to give her props though, her costume was well made. She got all the details, down to what looked like an actual ruby in her circlet.

“Relax Chloe, it wasn’t meant for you.” Alya waved her hand casually and took a sip of kid-friendly-adult-approved punch.

“Whatever. Nice costume Alix, looks like you finally went as something scary this year.” Referencing to the fact Alix wasn't wearing a costume, Chloe stuck her haughty nose up in the air and laughed, but the others weren’t so impressed.

“C’mon Chloe at least try something original.” Nino chastised, shaking his head in mock disappointment.

“That didn’t even make my top 50 list for meanest Chloe insults.” The costume Marinette didn’t recognize contained Max, she realized.

“I’m not even hurt man, also I’m pretty sure you said that exact thing to me last year.” Alix swung her leg casually, perched on top of the other couch arm.

Chloe scoffed, failing to be nonchalant. “Sabrina let’s go, it’s starting to smell like losers in here.” She grabbed Sabrina’s wrist, who had just appeared with two cups of punch in her hands and accidentally jolted her, spilling the punch onto her pristine, custom-made Sailor Moon costume.

“Agh, you idiot!” Chloe pushed Sabrina away, who was decked out in a Sailor Neptune outfit, though obviously more crudely, and possibly hand, made.

“Oh Chloe I’m sorry, it was an accident.” Sabrine apologized profusely for ‘her’ mistake as Chloe looked ready to explode with anger.

“Let’s just get out of this dump.” Chloe stomped away in anger, and an anxiety riddled Sabrina in tow. Alix and Nino laughed at the duo, while Alya and Marinette just shook their heads.

“Those two are all kinds of trouble.” Kim scratched his neck and looked regretful for the time he had a crush on Chloe. Meanwhile, the party was still in full rage around them; Harley Quinns and painted dolls all jiving to Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

“Aw forget her; but seriously Alix, why don’t you ever dress up for Halloween?” Marinette leaned to the side, trying to get a good view of the pink haired girl.

“Halloween’s for babies, no reason to dress up for candy when all the good action is in egging houses.” Alix mimed a swift throw and then crossed her arms in defiance.

“Oh please, you just always forget to plan a costume.” Kim taunted her. Alix stuck her tongue out in response.

“Speaking of egging houses, didn’t you two stock up my mom’s car with about thirteen cartons? Are you going to use them? Because I absolutely cannot deal with sulfur right now.” Max adjusted the headpiece of his costume, Marinette could barely see his face under there.

“Relax buddy, we’ll be putting those eggs to good use tonight.” Kim and Alix exchanged mischievous looks and Marinette laughed.

“Hey Max, who are you supposed to be anyways?” This prompted a groan from the others; Marinette was puzzled, she just asked a simple question?

“Mari, he’s been ranting about his costume ever since we got here.” Alya grabbed her friend’s shoulders in desperation.

“This, dear class president, is a mech suit and it is from the, arguably, best anime of all time: Super Mega Bot Battle 3000.” Max held one finger in the air, or tried to at least with a thick glove covering his hand. The mech suit was well constructed; Max must have made it himself, and it must have taken several months to do so. Even so, the paint was faintly chipped in areas and the plastic had obvious seams in awkward areas. The boy genius also constructed two mini pivot blasters painted bright green, contrasting with the deep blue the rest of his suit was.

“More like Super Mega Dork Battle,” Kim teased, punching his boyfriend playfully on the shoulder.

“Watch it man this was hard to make.” Max said, checking his shoulder plates to ensure nothing was damaged by Kim’s light-hearted but still heavy punch.

“Who even makes their costumes anymore man?” Alix propped her chin up by her hand.

Marinette raised her hand shyly and everyone on the couch laughed.

“Of course you did Marinette, you make everything yourself.” Alya laughed.

“I gotta say, that looks really well made. Even better than Chloe’s costume.” Nino gestured with his head at the mean blonde skulking over by the sink, trying to stop a large red stain from spreading.

Kim made a scoffing noise. “Chloé bought her costume online, custom made with her Daddy’s money, like everything else about her.”

“Ooh sick burn.” Alix jeered. Kim held his arms out, accepting the barrage of plastic cups thrown his way.

“I'm glad you took my costume advice, Marinette.” Alya winked at her best friend, who blushed in return.

“Haha, well I definitely thought there'd be more Ladybugs here.” Marinette was dressed as the masked marauder herself; going as her alter-ego to a party was risky, but the potential to see Adrien was an award worth it.

“There are but they're all ‘Sexy Ladybugs’,” Kim made air quotes around the words. “Yours is the only one close to the original.”

“Though I gotta say, some of your spots are off.” Alya remarked, peering at Marinette’s costume skeptically.

Marinette shifted nervously, she purposely made the costume to be slightly off from Ladybug’s. Just close enough to be a semblance, but not close enough for people to recognize her as the actual Ladybug. She wouldn't have dressed up at all if Alya hadn't ‘let it slip’ that Adrien might come to the party as Chat Noir, a detail that gave her mixed feelings.

Chat Noir was her partner in crime, and she trusted him with her life, but he was overly flirtatious and a jokester. She wasn't sure how she'd react to seeing Adrien in his signature black leather. Adrien in leather… Marinette’s thoughts trailed off to something else.

“Yo, Marinette, you okay girl?” Alya snapped her fingers in front of Marinette’s face.

Marinette’s eyes snapped back into focus and shook her head. “Uhh, I'm going to go get water,

“Wait Marinette, I'll come with!” Alya called after, pushing herself off the couch. The duo weaved their way through the crowd towards the kitchen, the opposite direction a certain Chat Noir was headed.

* * *

 

Adrien weaved through the gyrating crowd, music thumping so loud he felt it in his chest. He was a bit nervous going to his first ever huge party, but it couldn’t be that much different than the afterparties his dad made him attend, right? Except those were mostly filled with designers and stuffy reporters, all the other models leave for clubs and Adrien isn’t allowed to tag along with them. He scratched the back of his neck, Adrien forgot that people dressed up for Halloween and knew his schedule was way too busy to buy or make a costume, so when Nino asked who he was going to be at the party he kind of panicked and said Chat Noir.

So here Adrien was, transformed as Chat Noir.

Plagg was not happy to assist him but after a lot of begging (and a lot of promised camembert) he complied and the feline superhero bidded his father adieu. Adrien shook his head thinking back to his father’s expression, seeing him as Chat Noir seemed to almost shock him.

Catching sight of Nino, Adrien waved his hand excitedly and hugged his best friend, an awkward endeavor as the plastic shell on his back made it a bit difficult. He greeted the trio on the couch and they chorused amicable hellos back.

“Glad you made it dude!” Nino hit him on the shoulder.

Adrien grinned back. “Wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

“Adrien, your costume is spot on, nice job.” Alix nodded approvingly and Adrien shrank inwardly. As said before, Adrien had zero time to even order a Chat Noir costume, so his only option was to go to the party transformed and hope no one would put two and two together.

“Haha, yeah,” He scratched his neck awkwardly. “M-my dad’s team made it for me.”

“You must be a huge fan of Chat Noir then.” Kim remarked.

“Uh haha, I guess,” Adrien winced. “I like Ladybug a lot more, actually.” He glanced towards the floor, fondly thinking of his red clad partner in- err, justice.

“Well I think Chat Noir is pretty sick,” Alix leaned forward off the couch. “Jumping around in all that leather? Seems intense.”

“I have a theory it’s not leather but instead a form of silicon and spandex that optimizes stretch and keeps the wearer protected from-” Max got cut of by Kim yanking his helmet off his head and holding it far above his shorter boyfriend’s head. The group laughed at Max’s futile attempts at retrieving his helmet from his six-foot something boyfriend’s grasp.

“C’mon Kim, give it back” He whined, pouting at Kim’s giggles.

“Yeah, dude, give it back,” Nino said, torn between laughing and helping his friend out.

Kim reluctantly handed Max his helmet back, the geeky teen eagerly replacing his lost robot head with a triumphant laugh.

“Nice Super Mega Bot Battle 3000 cosplay, by the way Max, looks amazing.” Everyone on the couch stared with mouths open at Adrien, he blushed; was he not supposed to know that?

“You watch Super Mega Bot Battle 3000?” Max squealed. The rest of the group rolled their eyes, it was going to be a long night.


	2. Heads Will Roll by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh dip, that dang ole speaker is messing everything up.

Marinette and Alya chatted aimlessly by the drink table, Marinette was barely listening to her friend describe Ladybug’s latest escapade (she  _ was  _ Ladybug, she already  _ knew _ ) and instead occupied herself in searching the crowd for Adrien. Unfortunate since there were a lot of people wearing black leather in the crowd tonight, who knew Halloween brought out the inner Chat Noir in everyone?

Chat Noir. Her faithful partner; she could trust him with anything really, everything except her identity. Marinette once was sure that his flirting was just teasing, but she wasn’t so confident anymore. Was he actually in love with Ladybug? Was he in love with the  _ idea _ of Ladybug? Ladybug didn’t really exist, it was just another side of Marinette; would he like shy, clumsy Marinette as opposed to graceful, confident Ladybug? All these unwanted thoughts swarmed around in Marinette’s head, making her feel fuzzy and confused.

“Hello? Earth to Marinette?” Alya snapped her fingers in front of Marinette’s face, jolting her friend out of her thoughts.

“S-sorry, Alya.” Marinette stammered back, shakily fixing her hair.

“You looked pretty out of it there, you feeling alright?” Alya seemed genuinely concerned for her best friend, and Marinette felt a stab of guilt. She couldn’t tell Alya she was thinking about Chat Noir, that would raise so many questions.

“Uh, yeah I’m fine. Just looking for Adrien! That’s all.” Marinette nervously adjusted her suit, hoping no one would notice her red cheeks under her red mask.

“Girl, don’t worry! I’m sure he’ll be here soon! Why don’t we head back to the couch and ask Nino when he’s coming?”

Marinette nodded, and the pair headed back to the tightly packed living room.

* * *

Nino leaned back on the couch, his turtle shell poking uncomfortably into his back and his mask starting to chafe around his eyes. He rubbed his face and wondered why he even dressed up for this party. Kim and Alix thumb wrestled on the coffee table nearby and both were tied 34 to 34. Nino rolled his eyes, those two didn’t know when to give up.

He caught sight of Alya slipping her way back through the crowd with a nervous looking Marinette and grinned; Marinette was so adorable when she was nervous. He had come to regard his classmate as a sort of sister to him, they had all grown closer when he started dating Alya a couple months ago. Unfortunately, since Adrien was always so busy after school, and Marinette was always too shy to talk to him during school, there was little Adrien and Marinette bonding time and Nino was worried his model friend was feeling a bit left out of the group.

“Nino!” Alya waved her hand above her head, signaling to her boyfriend who stood up from the couch and met her halfway. “Have you seen Adrien yet?”

“Yeah he was here a couple of minutes ago but he and Max went to Max’s car to listen to some anime soundtrack or something.”

Alya groaned, head comically hanging low. “Do you know when they’ll be back?” Nino’s shoulders shrugged, and Alya groaned again at her currently useless boyfriend.

“Sorry, babe. We can just wait for them here.” Alya consoled a frustrated Marinette.

“Yeah, sure. It’s fine.” Marinette slumped onto the couch.

This party was starting to feel a lot more lonely.

* * *

“Dude you have the whole box collection?” Max cried, astonished. “That’s like, impossible to obtain! It’s so expensive.”

Adrien nodded sheepishly; his dad had taken to just handing Adrien a credit card during the holidays and letting Adrien buy whatever he wanted, so he decided to get the complete set of all the seasons of Super Mega Bot Battle 3000,  _ plus _ the two movies that only came out in Japan.

“Yeah man, you should come over and we can watch it sometime!” Adrien perked up hopefully, no one ever seemed to want to go to his house. Sure they seemed gung-ho at first: excited to see his giant mansion, the rock climbing wall in his house, his expansive room; but once people saw how cold it was, how empty it felt, no one really wanted to come back. Adrien couldn’t blame them, some days he didn’t want to go back.

“I’d love to!” Max grinned and Adrien felt a surge of energy. That’s at least six  _ confirmed _ friends now, he estimated.

“Aw geez,” Max checked his watch. “I promised my mom she’d have the car back by 23:00, and if Kim and Alix really want to do an egging tour we should probably leave in approximately 11 minutes, and it’s going to take at least 16 minutes to convince Alix to get her coat, and oh my god I’ll  _ miss my curfew _ .” The blood drained from Max’s face, and Adrien stifled a giggle at the hilarity of it.

“I can get Alix’s coat for her, if you want?” Adrien offered, wanting to seem helpful.

“Could you? That would shave at least a couple of milliseconds off of our exit.”

Adrien nodded and the pair headed back to the raucous party, one heading towards the couch and the other, towards the coat room.

* * *

Marinette picked at her chipped nail polish, already having stripped a thumb of it’s lacquer she absentmindedly started on her other thumb- wishing Adrien would either show up, or she could just leave. She noticed Max’s giant robot headpiece bobbing and weaving through the crowd and perked up. Adrien had to be with him right?   
Wrong.

Max approached the group and shouted over the ear splitting music, Marinette couldn’t catch the entire thing but there was something about eggs, a curfew, and someone’s coat? Max vaguely gestured over in Alya and Alix’s direction so Marinette assumed it was about Alya, since Alix is a self-declared “badass-who-don’t-need-no-man-or-a-coat”, a sentence that made grammatically correct Max cringe.

She tried to hear if Max said anything about Adrien but couldn’t make anything out over the blaring tones of Tom Wait’s Little Drop of Poison.

She flagged over Alya and whisper-yelled into her ear.

“WHERE’S ADRIEN?”

Alya shrugged in response, having barely heard what Max said either. The geeky boy in question was also having trouble getting his boyfriend to understand as well.

“YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT ALYA’S COAT?”

“NO,” Max shouted. “ALIX’S COAT!”

“WHAT?”

“ALIX’S- Ugh, I’m not even going to bother.” Max waved his hands dismissively and heading towards the kitchen, a confused Kim in tow. Alix sat on the couch arm, unperturbed and also not paying attention.

Marinette’s chin rested squarely on her hand and she sent a glare towards Alya who smiled sheepishly.

“Don’t worry I’m sure he’ll show up soon.” She tried to console her friend unsuccessfully, while the room was a bit quieter as a slower song began to play.

Marinette sighed.  _ This is so pointless; it’s not like Adrien would even want to talk to me, I’m such a ditz at school _ .

“C’mon Mari, chin up, he’ll be here soon.” Nino tried, but Marinette just shook her head.

“I think I’d just like to go home.”   
Alya sighed. “I’m sorry girl, I drive you home.”

Marinette smiled gratefully. “I’ll go grab your coat.”

“Wait what? I didn’t bring a coat.” Alya responded with confusion; but Marinette couldn’t hear her as the slow song faded out and Blue Oyster Cult began to blast from the speakers. She stood up from the couch and headed towards the coat room.

* * *

Adrien knelt by a pile of assorted and miscellaneous coats thrown in a pile in a closet and shuffled through them, trying to find Alix’s faded black sweatshirt. Every single discarded Halloween mask and fairy wand had been thrown into this re-purposed guest-bedroom-turned-coat-room and it was a hard time finding what he was looking for.

As his gloved hands pushed past trench coat and cape alike, he caught sight of Alix’s classic neon green and black zip up. He rolled his eyes; being the son of a famous designer, he knew bad taste when he saw it. His hand was curling around the sleeve when the door to the coat room banged open and he sat upright so quickly his head banged on the wooden dowel that supported the coats being hung up.

The next few events happened so quickly, Adrien was glad he was transformed and had his cat-like reflexes ready. The closet he half-knelt in was poorly assembled by whatever self proclaimed DIY-Dad had built it out of scraps one day, and when Adrien’s poor head smacked against the clothes rod, the whole thing was ready to collapse; and collapse it did. The side panel slid out of it’s poorly screwed in holding mechanism and hurtled towards whatever poor soul opened the door. Luckily Adrien’s Chat Noir instincts kicked in and he leaped towards the mystery person and rolled them away from the door, and sat up half-straddling them, both seemingly unscathed

Adrien grinned at his heroics and looked down at a very surprised Ladybug under his thigh and felt all the blood drain from his body and re-purposed itself in his cheeks.

Both of them turned to see the heavy wood panel of the closet slam onto the door, shutting it and snapping the doorknob off.

Oops.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!! Sorry this update took longer than I thought it would, I had a huge essay to write this weekend and couldn't even look at my computer after all that typing. Also, apologies for the short-ish update, I still don't have a set update schedule but hopefully I will soon!!! Thanks so much for the kind comments and kudos on the last chapter, as a long time writer but a first time uploader it means a lot to me! If you have any questions or just want to scream over season two hit me up on tumblr @chatnour, (it's my ML sideblog)


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